Outdrive up Cooling ?

[Grouchybear35]

With my OMC Cobra outdrive trimmed all the way up does the engine still recive the cooling water that it needs at idle in neutral? My starter solinoid went bad, so we where out in the boat leaving the engine running while we where anchored in a cove to relax. I trimmed the outdrive all the way up to be sure the prop was not turning because my kids where in the water etc. The engine ran like this for approxamitly 1/2 hour. When we pulled anchor and started out the engine temp seemed a little higher than normal but I never saw it go over 190 degrees. After this I could hear valve noise that I have never heard before. this seemed to go away and the motor seemed to run in its normal temp. range. I then noticed that when I went to WOT from low speed I could hear a leaking noise from the Left bank of the engine. Can some one clue me in to what I may have done to my precious 4.3 V6?

 

[nikk]

Re: Outdrive up Cooling ?

im not a pro... But i believe running a boat with the outdrive all the way up is very bad even at idle???I might be wrong

 

[crazy charlie]

Re: Outdrive up Cooling ?

Idling the motor all the way up should have no bad affect on the motor.It may strain the ujoints eventually.The temp of the motor should not have climbed up at all by what you did.This may indicate some slight blockage or manifolds that have their better days behind them.When was the impeller changed last????What type of noise are you reffering to "leaking"?? Charlie

 

[crazy charlie]

Re: Outdrive up Cooling ?

by the way,you DID put the drive down before going home right.Charlie

 

[CharlesW]

Re: Outdrive up Cooling ?

Right now, my boat is not handy or I would check, but.... I think that the water inlet is not in the water if the outdrive is all the way up. You may now have more repairs to make than the starter. Sounds like you might possibly have a head gasket problem. Maybe the "leaking" noise is a bad hose. Regardless, any new noises need to be traced to their source and addressed.<br /><br />Charles

 

[crazy charlie]

Re: Outdrive up Cooling ?

The intake is always under water no matter how far up the od is trimmed or trailered up. Charlie

 

[Grouchybear35]

Re: Outdrive up Cooling ?

The leaking sound is like an exhaust leak or a head leak on a volkwagen engine. You could only really hear it at low rpms when going WOT out of the hole.

 

[crazy charlie]

Re: Outdrive up Cooling ?

Grouchy,you may have some blockage in the cooling system and the sound is the exhaust without the usual water flow to quiet it.This would raise the temp. It is tough to relate to the sound you are describing.Never had a VW. charlie

 

[merc 140 pontoon]

Re: Outdrive up Cooling ?

I bet your water feed hose is old and collapsing or being pinched off when you tilt all the way up. This is the hose that feeds water from the sterndrive to the transom (on a Merc, at least). Mine had some cracks that would leak badly when the unit was tilted up.<br /><br />Steve

 

[Lou C]

Re: Outdrive up Cooling ?

I'm pretty sure that the water intakes are underwater even with it all the way up, when I put mine on the trailer I usually have it almost all the way up, but only at idle. The idea about the water feed hose is a good thing to check. The impeller is easy to change on a Cobra, if you have to change the whole housing as well only a little more money and you know it's right.

 

[andrewgroup]

Re: Outdrive up Cooling ?

190 is not extremely hot for an engine block. Cars see this temperature on a daily basis. Rotational water pumps with rubber empellers create higher pressures at higher speeds. At low speeds the percentage leak to pressure is greater and the suggestion to replace the empeller is good advice.<br /><br />Secondly this may indicate that your thermostat is beginning to stick and it's time to consider replacing it as well.<br /><br />And a good compression gauge is recommended to rule out head gaskets, (check the oil for fuel/water) start on muffs to investigate the exhaust quality.<br /><br />With the engine cold, I would cover in soapy water on and around the exhaust manifolds and look for bubbles immediately after starting.<br /><br />Vacuum gauge would be a good tool for a good indicator of vacuum leakage / valve issues.<br /><br />What may sound like leakage can be a bearing in a water circulator pump Get a good (shop stethescope and attempt to eliminate the noise coming from a mechanical problem) Valve train noise can be a source.

 

[Grouchybear35]

Re: Outdrive up Cooling ?

I guess it is hard to describe this noise. It probably sounds like you recorded water dripping from a faucet and then played it back amplified while your engine was trying to excelerate in the back ground. Thanks for all the info thus far.

 

[andrewgroup]

Re: Outdrive up Cooling ?

Grouchy,<br /><br />I spent a week in late July on Norris Lake, just north of Knoxville. It's the best lake I've ever spent time on. Not a single sailboat to get in my way. It must have 120 miles of centerline water and I explored about 15 miles of it. Going back next year for more.

 

[Grouchybear35]

Re: Outdrive up Cooling ?

Andrew,<br /> Norris is a very clean and nice lake. Have you ever been to Dale Hollow Lake? It splits the boarder between Tennessee and Kentucky. Personaly, this is the cleanest and niceest lake That I have ever seen.